SITA announces the acquisition of Materna IPS

SITA, a global leader in technology solutions for the air transport industry, today announced the acquisition of Materna IPS, a leader in airport and airline passenger services. This move will reshape the entire airline industry, creating the world’s most powerful airport and digital travel passenger portfolio. It brings SITA’s vision of a new approach to travel and transportation to life, strengthening the company’s leading position in passenger service, as part of its rapid growth strategy for the coming years.

With air traffic expected to double by 2040, airports and airlines need to provide a smoother experience for passengers. The acquisition of SITA is an important element of its focus on innovation and discovery of new travel solutions to meet the industry’s pressing demands for increased terminal capacity and best-in-class secure solutions to ensure an easy travel experience for all passengers. This will provide the industry with a unique opportunity to transform airports from simple hubs into digital, personalized experiences for travelers around the world. This acquisition is subject to regulatory approval.

The Materna IPS portfolio enables airports to serve more passengers and optimize resources to provide a better experience for travelers. They are leaders in the Self Bag-Drop market, with a customer base spanning North America, India, Europe and Japan. Materna IPS offers best-in-class secure solutions for all passenger touchpoints, from check-in to baggage collection and boarding.

SITA is a global leader in passenger self-service solutions at airports. By taking over Materna IPS, the leader in the Self Bag-Drop market, it takes its leadership position to another level. Especially as airports transform digitally and the market accelerates towards Self Bag-Drop. SITA and Materna IPS solutions complement each other perfectly. After the acquisition, SITA will be the undisputed leader in comprehensive airport solutions.

“It’s an exciting new era of travel! SITA’s largest-ever acquisition will soon change the landscape of the entire aviation industry,” said David Lavorel, CEO of SITA. “By combining our solutions and expertise, we will take passenger travel and related operations to unprecedented levels of efficiency. Airports and airlines will receive the most innovative passenger service solutions available. “Passengers around the world can expect a new horizon of seamless, seamless and contactless travel.”

He added: “We are on a path of massive transformation. This acquisition fits perfectly into our development strategy. We wanted to take a bold step towards changing the future of travel, and we managed to do it. We can’t wait to embark on this new journey with our colleagues at Materna IPS and together change the future of travel.”

Dr. Georg Oschmann, CEO of Materna IPS, added: “As we embark on this exciting journey with SITA, we see unlimited potential for growth and development. This strategic move aligns perfectly with our commitment to innovation and excellence. Together, we will create unparalleled value in our industry and beyond, leveraging our combined strengths to drive meaningful progress and provide more opportunities for everyone.”

This integration will be based on Materna’s widely used IPS solutions for check-in at kiosks, at checkouts or online – multiple options for user-friendly self-baggage drop-off and more. This will provide an effective connection to SITA’s solutions portfolio, which includes biometrics, computer vision, digital travel and airport operations management.